The corridor was empty. Slowly a horn arose from the laundry basket, and underneath it a dark indigo coloured forelock and a pair of eyes became visible. Twilight Sparkle.
She was sneaking around in the corridor, carefully hiding among the shadows and behind objects to conceal her prescence. There were two main reasons for her unusual sneakiness; One was that she had newly escaped from her prison cell and the other was that she really didn't want to be seen wearing this embarrassing uniform. The pink, pajama like fabric and the white plastic armour was more than she could bear...
Suddenly she heard the sound of hoof steps against the concrete floor! Twilight sank back into the basket.
"I have tried everything! But it's impossible! First I tried violence... and then I tried... Um, when I think about it... I've only tried violence. Anyway, If my subjects can't learn to love me I will teach them to fear me instead! It is time to use Plan B."
"NO! For the last time, Flutters... isn't there any other way?" Rainbow Dash asked with a shocked look in her eyes. "Don't you think that plan it's a bit... evil?"
"Oh... What part of the plan do you find evil?"
"The part when you blow up half of the city, for Pony's sake!"
"But that's my favourite part... I kinda wanted to blow up Canterlot anyway since everypony booed at me at my coronation... I felt so humiliated. Don't you think it'll be okay if I can do it without hurting anypony?"
"But please, Fluttershy! Blowing up Canterot is definitely uncool. I will always stand by your side, but as your friend I must also speak my mind. This is far too much! Please, I am very concerned about you..."
"Wait! I have an strange, sparkling feeling in my horn... Something is hiding in the twi-light!"
"In the twilight? Don't you mean in the half-light? Or just in the shadows?"
"Yes, of course... But there is something there. Something is watching us right now, in this very corridor. I can feel its awkward presence."
"I'll kick its flank!" Rainbow Dash cried and jumped in front of Fluttershy with her wings spread out. She was still bandaged and bruised from her previous battle.
"No, you need plenty of rest... I'll just use my magic instead. Like this."
And with a glow from her horn, Fluttershy released a strong, blue spark of static electricity in the corridor. It bounced against the concrete walls and found its way into the laundry basket from where a muffed cry was heard.
"What was that sound? It sounded like something was in pain!"
"Maybe it came from the basket with fluttertrooper uniforms?" Rainbow suggested.
"For the last time, Rainbow Dash! You don't have to tell me that even the basket is hurt by their prescense! I d...did my very best designing those uniforms! And everypony is complaining about them! I know I'm n-not Rarity, but I really tried to make them look cool! I know they're not perfect... but... I really... I really wanted to design them myself. And now everypony hates them!" Fluttershy said, almost beginning to sob.
"Eh... I don't hate them. They are... are... eh... very, very... hehe... eh... very special. Maybe most ponies just aren't used to them yet?"
"No, I know they're horrible... But thanks anyway for trying to make me feel better. It was probably just my imagination. I haven't got the hang of being an alicorn yet..."
When both ponies had left the corridor, a shocked Twilight Sparkle emerged once again from the laundry basket. Her mane was still frizzy with static electricity. This time she got lucky, she thought. Had Fluttershy looked into the basket her daring escape would have been discovered and she would have been sent back to her cell.
And now there was no time to waste! Twilight must write to Celestia and warn her about Fluttershy's evil plan! She couldn't believe that the shy, kind pony was really was capable such an horrible act... Blowing up Canterlot! And that Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty herself, was reluctantly helping her in this dastardly and outrageous treason against princess Celestia! The thought almost made her faint. This couldn't be true...
* * *
Meanwhile, but in Ponyville, a blue, tall-legged earth pony was sitting at "The Prancing Dragon", one of the local taverns. Luna had somehow gotten the impression that a local tavern always was the best place to gather information when she were on an epic quest.
For nearly a week she had been sneaking around Ponyville in her search for the mysterious Mare Do Well. But to no avail. Nopony knew who the masked hero was or where to find her. But everypony had seen her. Oh, the endless stories about her heroic deeds... Now Luna was even more convinced that this pony must possess the Alicorn Amulet to hold such powers. There were no other possible explanations.
She ordered another tankard of cider. This plan was going nowhere... It was time to change her approach. Maybe she could in a very, very subtle way ask where the Alicorn Amulet might be? When the tavern pony arrived with her cider, Luna waved her hoof at her to come closer.
"WHERE is the Alicorn Amulet? I want to USE it!" she said in her most subtle way.
"What?!"
"I want the legendary Alicorn Amulet! Where is it?"
"NO! That's... that's just horrible! It's evil!"
"But I will only use it to gain absolute power!" Luna assured.
"That's even worse!" the shocked pony said, slowly backing away. "I'll never help you getting your hooves on it, even if I knew where it was! It's too dangerous for anypony to be trusted with!"
"We will soon see what is most dangerous; handing it to me or don't!" Luna said and rose from the table, making the chair tip over behind her and hit the floor with an intimidating bang.
"Oh! Help!" the terrified tavern pony cried and ran away.
"By that I hope she meant that she would go and get help," Luna said to herself.
She drank her cider in one gulp.
* * *
The beaten squadron of fluttertroopers had regrouped behind the walls of Canterlot Castle. They were ruffled and bruised, but nopony was hurt. There was a gloomy silence in the courtyard.
"This attack was pure idiocy," a pegasus said.
"Yeah, Dash didn't think it trough... To the surprise of absolutely nopony! I can't believe that Fluttershy had to put her in charge. She is such a lousy commander."
"I think that we should try a more flexible approach," Blossomforth said while stretching her wing. "These looters may have the advantage in numbers, but I think that we can totally take them on if we concentrate on individual ponies instead of the whole group. We should swoop down only in situations where we outnumber them temporarily and then retreat back to the castle before the whole mob have enough time to gather."
"Wow, Blossomforth! I didn't realize that you'd knew so much about pony tactics!"
"I've played a lot of board games. Also, I've read a book about Naponyon Ponyparte, the greatest pony general of all time!"
"Yay! Soon the ponies of Canterlot will fear the sight of our pink uniforms!"
* * *
Hastily Twilight scribbled down another letter to princess Celestia, roughly the same one that she had dropped in her cell. But this contained even more dire news for the princess.
Dear Princess Celestia!
I'm trying to escape from my prison, where Fluttershy has put me. Shining Armour and Spike are escaping too. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are planning to blow up Canterlot! They have became evil! We must stop them before it is too late! Please help us!
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle
P.S Rainbow Dash is less evil than Fluttershy, because she tried to tell her not to blow up Canterlot. ANYWAY this is BAD BAD BAD!!!!!
"Send it!"
And with a green puff of flame, Spike sent the letter away.
"Now we must continue our escape! I think the coast is clear for now... Hopefully Fluttershy and Dash are away for the moment. Oh, how I wish that I could use my magic! But this stupid paint on my horn is making it impossible!"
"Have you tried wiping it off with some acetone like Rarity does when she is removing her hoof polish?" Spike suggested.
"I don't have any acetone... Hm... maybe you could just burn it away with dragon fire?"
"Twilight, I don't know if it's really such a good idea..."
"Just a little puff! I'm desperate, Spike!"
Trying to be very, very careful Spike took a deep breath and let out a little flame from the corner of his mouth. Puff.
"OW OOWW OWWW!" Twilight screamed as her mane erupted in flames.
"Oh, sorry! Sorry!"
With his hands the dragon quickly extinguished the fire. He sure had a lot of experience in the art of fire extinguishing.
After this fiery incident they came to a door that led the three escapees to a secret passage into the castle itself. The once lavish corridors were empty and dark. All the candles had burnt out and now there were dust and bird droppings all over the floor. A little squirrel ran across the carpet to hide among the shadows.
"Oh, this is bad... I wish Celestia was here," Twilight said.
"I wonder what she's doing right now?" Shining Armour asked, scratching his mane. "Maybe she is doing her best to save us with some ingenious plan? I hope she has read your letter by now..."
* * *
A flickering glow was dancing on the dark walls of the laboratory in the ancient castle cellar. The only light allowed came from fireflies since the danger of a sudden explosion was far too great to be taken lightly. A number of unicorns in white lab coats were crushing different materials with mortar and pestle. The dust from charcoal filled the air and made the ponies cough and sneeze while they tried to breathe in this dangerous and uncomfortable enviroment. In the middle of all this stood a tall figure, impatiently tapping her hoof.
"Faster! I need the gunpowder to be ready as soon as possible! And where is the sulphur? Why can't there be more sulphur to buy in Equestria?" Fluttershy cried.
"Because most ponies use magic instead when they do fireworks?" her advisor suggested while slowly pulling out a muffin from her saddlebag. "Can't you just make a nice firework with your magic, like Trixie does?"
"I'm not making fireworks, Derpy... I'm making explosives to blow this plothole of a city from the mountainside once and for all! AHAHAHAHA!!!! Um... but in a way that nopony gets hurt, of course."
"Oh, that makes much more sense. Will we have a party after that?"
"A party?"
"Yes! One with muffins, and fireworks and cider?"
* * *
Celestia was standing on the roof of the Friendship Express that was rushing trough the landscape at full steam. All the wagons had been painted in green and grey camouflage and the train carried a battalion of crystal pony infantry that Celestia had persuaded princess Cadance to reluctantly lend to her. The camouflage was applied to hid their approach from the ever watchful eyes of pegasus reconnaissance, but mostly they used it because Celestia thought that it was appropriate for this situation on a symbolic level.
This was the first time ever she tried to stage a military coup in any country and she refused to do it in a train that was pink and purple. That would have been too silly...
Suddenly princess Cadance appeared beside her in a flash of light.
"I thought you weren't coming?" Celestia said.
"I just had to see this with my own eyes. I do not want to face her on the battlefield, but I will help you in any other way possible."
"Are you scared of Fluttershy? That foal?"
"I'm terrified of her... Why aren't you?"
"Because she is the one that needs to be afraid. She has a lot to fear from now on."
"Are you referring to my army? You do know that I will not let you endanger the lives of any of my soldiers?"
"No. I'm thinking of my anger. After the battle I will search for her among the ruins, and when I find her she will whish that she'd never been born."
"Battle? Are you really going to risk everything by fighting her in open battle? What about your powers?! What if they are lost for ever? I thought you would just use the troops to ensure the safety of your subjects and not attempt any drastic actions?"
"Things have changed... Here, read this letter from my faithful student. I don't care about my powers now when my subjects are in danger! Can you learn how to raise the sun, Cadance?"
"I... I don't know..."
"We may soon find out."